Steam-chest relief-valve.



S. S. RIEGEL.

STEAM CHEST RELIEF VALVE. APPLICATION FILED 1130.12. 1912v ,7 Patented Man-4,1913, 2 slums-SHEET 1.

S. S. RIEGEL. STEAM CHEST RELIEF VALVE. APPLICATION FILED DEO. 12, 1912.

Patented Mar. 4,1913.

' 2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

T! Applicationfiled necember 12, was

-- UNITED, STATES. PATE roFFioE.

, iSAMUEL s. RIEGEL, or SCRANTON," PENNSYLVANIA.

Be it known thatI, SAMUE RIEGEL, of Scranton, 1n the county of,Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have (invented a certain new and useful Improvement; in

Steam- Chest Relief-Valves, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to relief valves used in connection withfthe valve chests and cylinders. of locomotive'engines, for the purpose of preventlng the formatlon of a vacuum thereln by the rec procating movements of y the pistonswhefi the locomotive is drifting,

" or running," witlrthrottle closed, down a grade.

' The object of my invention is to provide 'an appliance of this typewhich maybe readily' and inexpensively applied, and which, in operation, will afford a free and ample, admission of air, or of a limited volumewof-asteam, to'the valve chest and cylin 'der and thereby effectually prevent the formation ofa vacuum therein. 1

' IThe improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth. I

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical central section through a *steam chest relief valve ,'illustrating an embodimentof my'invention; Fig. 2, a'bottom plan viewofthe same,,(with the ball valves removed; Fig, 3, a vertical section, on the line a a ofFig. 4,;1llfustrat1ng a structural modification"; Fig. 4. a. plan view ofthe I same, with the-"lefthfandf half of the ,cover plate removed Fig. a vertical central sec- ;tion, illustrating herf structural modification; Fig. "6,.ahorizontal section through the same, on the line b b of Fig. 5; Fig. 7

-a.. vertical central section, illustrating an- 40.

other structural modification; and, Fig. 8,.a

horizontal section through the same, on the Referring first to Figsll and 2 of the ,drawings, in the practice of my invention I rovide' a valve casin 01' chest com risin a hollowor tubular body, 1, which is outplate,"1",w hich is'secured removably to its opposite side by studs, 3; A flange,v 2*,is

formed on the the coupling chamber,

' STEAM-CHEST BELIEF-VALVE,

Specification of Lettersiateht; Patented -l\lu.r,.- l 191 3.

Serial No. 756.268.

' l 2,\vhi'ch is bolted toasimilar flange. 4;,

on a nozzle, 4, leading out-of the valve chest of the locomotive on which the device is applied; aball jointring, 5, being interposed, in the usual manner, to make and maintain a tightjoint. It will be obvious that the'appliance may, equivalently, be connected with a steam passage leading to the cylinder or with the cylinder itself, through attachment'to its head, as in either case, the valve casing would similarly communicate with the space in which a vacuum tends to be formed, and the operation of the appliance would be the same as if directly con nected to the valve chest. Thecover plate, 1', is perforated by a plurality of inlet p'assages, 1, which are enlarged in diameter for the major portion of their length, from their inner. toward their outer ends, and a ball valve, 6, of smaller diameter than the larger bore of the inlet passage, s inserted in said larger bore of each of the inlet passages, the ball valves normally fitting valve seats, l in the larger bores. A valve stop,

' l which is in the form of a sheet of perforated plate, 7, or of wire netting, if preferred, is interposed between the bottom of the easing and the cover plate, and is held in positionby the studs, 3, the function of said stop being to limitthe inward traverse of the ball valves, 6, and prevent their displacement-from the inlet passages.

4 In the operation of the appliance, the formation of a partial vacuum in the cylinder 'and"valve' chest to which it is connected, when the locomotive 1S drifting or runnlng with throttle closed, necessarily induces a correspondlng action 1n the communicating coupling chamber, 2, and valve casing, 1.

Atmospheric pressure acting, through the inlet passages, upon the exposed surfaces of the ball valves, will thereupon unseat said valves, and air will be drawn in through the inlet passages "in suflicient quantity to counteractthe 'exhaustihg action of the piston and prevent the formation of a partial vacuum in the cylinder and valve chest. When steam is readmitted to the engine, the ball valves are returned to, and held against their seats ,by the actionof gravity and of the pressure of steam the coupling chamber and valve casing.

Figs. 3 ands illustrate a modified form of the appliance, embodying the, same essenvtia'l'. and characteristic features of structure and operation-'fas in the form first described, and dltfermg'therefrom only in suchileta ls as enable thevalve casl'ng t1 1j,t(l. li$-'21C( orie's to be located above, instead'o'f below the coupling chamber. To this end, thefdelive'ry nozzle, 1, through which the valve-casingis connected to the cou-p'l-ingjlchanibeigl2, is formed on the .lower side offithe valv'e; ease, ing, and the cover plate,.1I is connected to i the top of the casing. The easing is'ta-pere'd. in the opposite direction to that showirin 1 Figs. 1 and ,2, and the inlet passages, l, and ball valves, 6, are disposed in two clrcular sets or rows, one above another.' The valve stop, 7, is in the form of two rings, fixed, one above'another, to the cover plate, ad-

jacent to the inner ends of the inletpas; sages, l.- The operation of the apphancc isthe same as that of the form first described. p 'In the form-- of the appliance shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the valve casing,1,,extends.

and a ball valve, 6, as in 'tl1e instances before described. Each 'row of inlet passages is surrounded by a valve'stop, 7, which is. in this instance, in the form of a ring of wire, which, as in the forms of the appliance before described, limits the traverse of the ball valves and prevents their displacement from the inlet passages.

Figs. 7 and 8 show another form of the appliance, in which the ball valves, (3, con-' trol the admission of steam to the valve chest and cylinder, instead oiair as in the forms before describedI'Tlhe valve easing. 1, PIOJQCtS'JHtO the coupllng chamber, 2, and

'is secured thereto by'a bottom flange, 1

and studs, 3 as in Figs. 5 and 6. The interior of the valve casing, however, instead of being open to the atmosphere, as in Figs. 5 and 6,is closed thereto,and a steam supply pipe, 8, leading into the valve casing from a convenient point of connection with the boiler, isconnected to the flange l .The inlet passages, 1, are disposed in two rows, and their outer ends are surrounded by.a perforated plate or wire netting valve stop, 7, performing the same function as in the instances before described. In operation, the valves, 6, are unseated by the pressure in the pipe, 8, and steam is supplied to the steam chest and cylinder throughthe valve casin and con lin 11 3011 the formation of artial vacuum in the steamchest and cy nder.

It will be clear to those familiar with the operation of locomotives that my invention "presents-the advantages of structural siminlet pasa g'es', eachjcdntrolled bya ball valve.

enablesfample -area'lfor the admission of air .or steam to 'b'eprovided, wlthm a compara- ..tively 'smal'l compass, and with the present perfection in the-manufacture of valves of th1s type, their readyunseatmg: and prompt and accurate seating," required by operative conditions nm v be safely depended upon. I

- l I claim as my'invjention and desire 'to secure by Let t'e1s-l a; tent:

1. In a steam "chest relief valve, the combination of a. 'val'v e casing, means-for connecting sald-easmg with alocomotive valve 'lchest, a plurality of inlet passages extending through'awall of the casing, each open at ,oneend to the valve chest connection and to. a'source- 'oFexterior pressure at the other,

and. a plurality,- of ball valves, each controll1ng'-'one of said passages.

In a" steam chest relief valve, the com- I .bination of a valve casing, means for connecting saidcasing with a locomotive valve chest. a plurality .of' inlet passages extending through a wall of the casing, each open at one end to the valve chest connection and to a source of exterior pressure at the other. a plurality of ball valves, each controlling one of said passages, an'da'stop, located adj ace'nt to the delivery ends of the inlet passages, and limitingthe traverse of the valves toward said ends.

3. In a steam chest relief valve. the combination of a valve casing'comprising a hollow or tubular body'and an end wall, a coupling chamber connected to, and communicating with. the body of the casing and adapted atits opposite end for connection witha locomotivevalve chest, a plurality of inlet passages extending-through a wall of the casing, each open at one end to the.

body of the casing and'to a source of exterior pressure at the other, and a plurality of ball valves, each controlling one of Sfil( passages.

4. In-a steam chest relief valve, the combination of a valve casing comprising a hollow or tubular body and an end wall formed by a cover plate'see ured detachably to the body, a coupling chamber connected to .-and communicating with, the body of the casing and adapted at its opposite end for connection with the locomotive valve chest, a plurality of inlet passages extending'through a wall of the casing, eachopen at one end to the body of the casing and at the other to the atmosphere, and a plurality of ball valves, each controlling one of said passages.

v 'nected' to'the nozzle of; the body andada ted 00 17 4 thereof,- a covei' 'plate-secnred -to the op o-' of said 'ha'ssages, and a ie'rforated plate site-end of the bodyand having1 a of inlet passages, a coupling :1 er conm the casing anti the cover late.

. SAM L s. RIEGEL.

5 at its opposite end for cqnne'ction wit a I Witnesses v 4 locomotive valve chest," :1 luralit of ball JOHNYF. MURRAY, valves, each seating in an cont 'o ling one Tnoms C. JAY.

' Ooples of this patent may be obtained tor-five cents each, by dressing the cemmissioner ot-latents. 1 J waahingtomnc.

galum ty valve stop interposed between the bedy of 

